Hallelujah! Finally, a pill with no apparent side effects! After trying half a dozen different ones over the course of several years, and suffering everything from acne, mood swings and general permanent PMS to loss of sex drive or incessant bleeding, I cannot express how relieved I am to have found a pill that just does it's job, and nothing else.
Micronor is a progesterone only pill (POP, mini-pill). It is taken continuously, once a day with no breaks. It is a low dose, so it has to be taken at the same time every day, within a 3 hour window. (If you take it more than 3 hours late or miss a pill entirely, you have to use condoms or some other form of contraception for the next week or so.)
This 3 hour deadline is often considered a major disadvantage, and may indeed be a problem if you do not have any daily routine whatsoever. But I've found that simply taking it when I go to bed works fine. (This is usually about 11pm, and hardly ever later than 2am, so it's very easy to keep within the window.) And for me, the benefits far outweigh the potential difficultes. The low dosage that causes the 3 hour limit also means that the pill is far less disruptive to the natural hormonal cycle than most others. Of course, that might not suit everyone - if you want something to regulate your periods this isn't it - but personally I've been very glad to get back to my naturally brief and regular periods.
I only wish I had discovered Micronor earlier, without going through so many other pills that didn't suit me. Unfortunately, unless you have specific requirements (medical conditions, heavy smoking etc.) that limit the kind of pill you can take, doctors seem to be reluctant to prescribe this type of POP because of the 3 hour window. But if you can stick to the time limit, and if, like me, you have found that other pills produce annoying side effects, it is definitely worth requesting Micronor or another low dose POP from your doctor.
UPDATE: After taking Micronor for 6 months or so, I realised I've put on quite a lot of weight. Now I hesitate to blame this on the pill because firstly, I lost a couple of stone a while ago, so I've really just returned to my 'natural' weight, and secondly, I've been eating a lot of deserts... However, it is possible that Micronor has contributed, so I thought I'd mention it!
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May 18th, 2007
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